PNW Riders

RedRevolver · 10-30-2009, 08:04 PM

So I rode my bike to school today like normal. Apparently picked up a nice piece of glass in my tire on the way there, because when I went to leave campus, my tire was totally flat.

And this tire was brand new when I got the bike two months ago.

Found the piece of glass in one of the grooves, so it punched all the way through the tire and left a nice little hole.

Suffice to say my bike is staying on campus until I order a new rear tire. Anybody know of a place I can get it put on for cheap? Pretty low on money right now and this ain't helpin.

Gusgus · 10-30-2009, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by RedRevolver

So I rode my bike to school today like normal. Apparently picked up a nice piece of glass in my tire on the way there, because when I went to leave campus, my tire was totally flat.

And this tire was brand new when I got the bike two months ago.

Found the piece of glass in one of the grooves, so it punched all the way through the tire and left a nice little hole.

Suffice to say my bike is staying on campus until I order a new rear tire. Anybody know of a place I can get it put on for cheap? Pretty low on money right now and this ain't helpin.

This is cheaper.

http://www.stopngo.com/basket.asp

mustang1 · 10-30-2009, 08:40 PM

just plug it.

Old Dane · 10-30-2009, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by Gusgus

This is cheaper.

http://www.stopngo.com/basket.asp

Sorry Gus!

What is between me and the ground does not need plugs in it.

WTFO · 10-30-2009, 09:26 PM

I wont rail a plugged tire but damn I will run one to get the money out of it.

I hit a spate of bad luck about 2 years ago and went through 3 tires in 4 months with flats.

RedRevolver · 10-31-2009, 12:08 AM

I suppose I could run it plugged for the winter, though I dunno, I don't really trust plugs for some reason. I mean I guess I have put a little over 1k on the bike since I've gotten it, so it's not brand brand new. Eh maybe I'm just freakin out. It is my first bike and I'm tryin to be careful with her.

Mike23 · 10-31-2009, 12:26 AM

plug it, dude. Mushroom plugs are solid, you most likely won't experience any problems under mach .62

Gusgus · 10-31-2009, 12:37 AM

That's ok Old Dane, no offense taken.

I have run plugged tires for years, living in Alaska and running those sharp shale roads, flats are not only common but normal.
The mushroom plugs if installed right are safe. Even at speed.

But each to their own.

I will tell you what, every tire you remove and replace, I would gladly take them off your hands for future mileage.

Jalharad · 10-31-2009, 10:41 AM

i'd plug it....also i'd think with the group we have here in bham we could get the bike off campus before some dumbass (haloween is here) damages it or something.

RedRevolver · 10-31-2009, 11:43 AM

I guess since it is in one of the grooves it wouldn't be too bad to plug it, since its not like there will be pressure directly on the spot with the plug.

I think I'm gonna head up to campus today and go put it behind the engineering building with a note saying it's being worked on. That way it's locked up at night and no parking tickets =P

Arnbo · 10-31-2009, 01:01 PM

Hey If you need a ride i have a trailer and tie-downs don't leave it too long
or someone will either trash it or steal it.my number is in my profile
arnbo

PencilBlimp · 10-31-2009, 01:28 PM

dude just plug it to get it home and park it for the winter then over the coarse of the winter save up for a new tire in the spring.

RedRevolver · 10-31-2009, 02:22 PM

alright guys, I've done some asking around. I'm just gonna keep it at the shop at western for the weekend where its safe, plug it there, and just take it easy till I get a new tire in the spring.

Thanks for the offers to help move it, glad to know I've got help if I need it.

UhOh · 10-31-2009, 06:44 PM

Originally Posted by RedRevolver

...And this tire was brand new when I got the bike two months ago....
Pretty low on money right now and this ain't helpin.

don't know about the mushroom plugs shown, but have used the more common sticky string plugs -
(any auto parts store, walmart for $6) 1/2 dozen times and it has always worked. simple directions on back of package.

know an SV rider who ran his tire >5000 miles plugged with them

Gusgus · 10-31-2009, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by UhOh

don't know about the mushroom plugs shown, but have used the more common sticky string plugs -
(any auto parts store, walmart for $6) 1/2 dozen times and it has always worked. simple directions on back of package.

know an SV rider who ran his tire >5000 miles plugged with them

I have worn out 5 or more rear tires and maybe 3 or 4 front tires with plugs.

One tire had 8 plugs, I ran it another 3 tho, with the plugs

They aren't dangerous imo unless pushed to hard, like track time.

InvisibleMan · 10-31-2009, 09:56 PM

Take all this for what it's worth.

I've been in the same situation more times than I care to remember. Been taken out by broken glass also, a fucking staple, nails, screws and various other unidentifiable road debris that serves no other purpose on this planet than to ruin a day of your ever shortening lifespan. Every time, it always happens to a tire that has plenty of life left in it and nooooo shop will ever fix it. EVER! I'm like you too, not really feeling like the plug idea is anything but a temporary fix to get ya home.

So, here's what I do:
Get three tire irons from the bike shop, it'll cost you maybe $15 or $20.
Get a big C-clamp from the hardware store for breaking the bead, bout $10.
Get some big tire patches from the auto parts store, 30 of em in a pack for $6. Don't worry, you will use them all someday.
Get some contact cement.
Tire pump (you really should have one already).
Schrader valve core remover (optional but, very handy).
Fill a spray bottle with dish soap and water.
Find a big 3ft x 3ft or bigger piece of cardboard to work on top of.
Start by pumping up the tire and, if it holds enough air, use the spray bottle full of soapy water to find the hole that is leaking. Now, you get the wheel off the bike and get that tire off the wheel. Yeah, it's a big ol pain in the ass to break the bead and pry the tire off the rim but, you are a determined bastard, right? Break the bead with your new C-clamp and work it off the rim with the tire irons, little by little. Always try to keep the opposite side of the bead towards the middle of the rim with your knee or foot as you pry the other side with the tire irons. Use the spray bottle with soapy water to ease the bead off the rim and the cardboard will help to keep your rotors from getting messed up on the ground. At this point, your job is a little less than half done. Yay for you!

For entertainment, here's a picture of the last thing that took out my 1 month old Dunlop Qualifier. The penny in the pic is for reference.

And the tire tread showing the hole.

I skipped taking a picture of the look of sheer disgust on my face.
So, once you get the tire off the rim, get that piece of shit out of your tire with a needle nose pliers. Add the offending item to your shrine of things that fucked your life up. The next thing you do is rough up the inside of the tire where the hole is with a dremel tool or something mounted on a drill or a piece of sand paper (I prefer the dremel). Then, you put the contact cement on the area that you roughed up and put the patch on after the contact cement has dried.
This is what the inside of the tire should look like with the patch glued in place.

At this point, the installation of the tire on the rim and the wheel on the bike is simply the reverse of the removal and is indeed, the 2nd half of your work for this day. Yeah, yeah, the whole process is all a real laugh a minute for you but, you will now be able to ride this tire out to the very end of it's useful life without worrying about any plug popping out and leaving you stranded for a 2nd time. I truly can not tell you how many times I have done tire repairs like this myself but, I can tell you that it does get a little bit easier once you figure it out. I even change my worn out tires at regular intervals this same way since I've finally got the process down. Don't ask me why but, the front tire changes always seem to be a little easier than the rear? Some bike shops will even balance your tires for free when you're done (thanks RMC!) but, it's not really necessary when fixing a flat, as long as you re-mount the tire the same way it was when you took it off. There's usually a mark on the tire where the valve stem is. Just use that as your point of reference. Pay attention to the direction of rotation also because mounting your tire backwards will make you very, very angry with yourself... Don't ask.

Have fun! Consider it a learning experience.

UhOh · 10-31-2009, 10:07 PM

^^^ good post, InvisibleMan

Outofsync · 11-01-2009, 01:37 AM

Originally Posted by InvisibleMan

Take all this for what it's worth.

I've been in the same situation more times than I care to remember. Been taken out by broken glass also, a fucking staple, nails, screws and various other unidentifiable road debris that serves no other purpose on this planet than to ruin a day of your ever shortening lifespan. Every time, it always happens to a tire that has plenty of life left in it and nooooo shop will ever fix it. EVER! I'm like you too, not really feeling like the plug idea is anything but a temporary fix to get ya home.

So, here's what I do:
Get three tire irons from the bike shop, it'll cost you maybe $15 or $20.
Get a big C-clamp from the hardware store for breaking the bead, bout $10.
Get some big tire patches from the auto parts store, 30 of em in a pack for $6. Don't worry, you will use them all someday.
Get some contact cement.
Tire pump (you really should have one already).
Schrader valve core remover (optional but, very handy).
Fill a spray bottle with dish soap and water.
Find a big 3ft x 3ft or bigger piece of cardboard to work on top of.
Start by pumping up the tire and, if it holds enough air, use the spray bottle full of soapy water to find the hole that is leaking. Now, you get the wheel off the bike and get that tire off the wheel. Yeah, it's a big ol pain in the ass to break the bead and pry the tire off the rim but, you are a determined bastard, right? Break the bead with your new C-clamp and work it off the rim with the tire irons, little by little. Always try to keep the opposite side of the bead towards the middle of the rim with your knee or foot as you pry the other side with the tire irons. Use the spray bottle with soapy water to ease the bead off the rim and the cardboard will help to keep your rotors from getting messed up on the ground. At this point, your job is a little less than half done. Yay for you!

For entertainment, here's a picture of the last thing that took out my 1 month old Dunlop Qualifier. The penny in the pic is for reference.
I skipped taking a picture of the look of sheer disgust on my face.
So, once you get the tire off the rim, get that piece of shit out of your tire with a needle nose pliers. Add the offending item to your shrine of things that fucked your life up. The next thing you do is rough up the inside of the tire where the hole is with a dremel tool or something mounted on a drill or a piece of sand paper (I prefer the dremel). Then, you put the contact cement on the area that you roughed up and put the patch on after the contact cement has dried.
This is what the inside of the tire should look like with the patch glued in place.
At this point, the installation of the tire on the rim and the wheel on the bike is simply the reverse of the removal and is indeed, the 2nd half of your work for this day. Yeah, yeah, the whole process is all a real laugh a minute for you but, you will now be able to ride this tire out to the very end of it's useful life without worrying about any plug popping out and leaving you stranded for a 2nd time. I truly can not tell you how many times I have done tire repairs like this myself but, I can tell you that it does get a little bit easier once you figure it out. I even change my worn out tires at regular intervals this same way since I've finally got the process down. Don't ask me why but, the front tire changes always seem to be a little easier than the rear? Some bike shops will even balance your tires for free when you're done (thanks RMC!) but, it's not really necessary when fixing a flat, as long as you re-mount the tire the same way it was when you took it off. There's usually a mark on the tire where the valve stem is. Just use that as your point of reference. Pay attention to the direction of rotation also because mounting your tire backwards will make you very, very angry with yourself... Don't ask.

Have fun! Consider it a learning experience.

That is a great way to fuck up a powdercoated rim IMO.... Or any rim for that matter... And if that patch is installed INCORRECTLY that is BAD news... Furthermore those patches are designed for steel belted tires on CARS... Motorcycle tires have a very different design/rubber compound and the mushroom patches are built for bike tires.. (At least the ones I have used) IMO the mushroom patches will work great through the winter... And a hell of a lot easier to install... Either way, I wish the OP good luck getting the tire fixed and if you need help pulling and installing a new one I can help you put it on, Just send me a message.

RC51 · 11-04-2009, 08:11 PM

The mushroom plugs work great, I've got about 3k miles on one right now, hasn't leaked a bit. I actually forgot that it was in there until I got another nail, that plug has about 1k miles on it now.

coastiepete · 11-04-2009, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by Gusgus

The mushroom plugs if installed right are safe. Even at speed.

But each to their own.

I have no problem doing normal riding with a mushroom or combo patch/plug. But would still look at a new tire before any hard riding.

The plugged/patched ones make nice spares

the cord plugs though? NOPE

coastiepete · 11-04-2009, 09:41 PM

Originally Posted by Outofsync

That is a great way to fuck up a powdercoated rim IMO.... Or any rim for that matter... And if that patch is installed INCORRECTLY that is BAD news... Furthermore those patches are designed for steel belted tires on CARS... Motorcycle tires have a very different design/rubber compound and the mushroom patches are built for bike tires.. (At least the ones I have used) IMO the mushroom patches will work great through the winter... And a hell of a lot easier to install... Either way, I wish the OP good luck getting the tire fixed and if you need help pulling and installing a new one I can help you put it on, Just send me a message.

I use those patches ALL the damn time on my dirtbike tubes. they have never failed me. But not sure i would put one in a high speed tire.


10-30-2009, 08:04 PM	#1
RedRevolver Newbie Joined: Sep 2009 From: Bellingham, WA	Glass in my tire =/ So I rode my bike to school today like normal. Apparently picked up a nice piece of glass in my tire on the way there, because when I went to leave campus, my tire was totally flat. And this tire was brand new when I got the bike two months ago. Found the piece of glass in one of the grooves, so it punched all the way through the tire and left a nice little hole. Suffice to say my bike is staying on campus until I order a new rear tire. Anybody know of a place I can get it put on for cheap? Pretty low on money right now and this ain't helpin. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-30-2009, 08:40 PM	#3
mustang1 WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Jun 2008 From: olympia washington I Ride: hayabusa	just plug it. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-30-2009, 09:26 PM	#5
WTFO MotoGP Contender Joined: Jul 2007 From: An unstated X,Y,Z coordinate I Ride: 09 Blk Daytona 675 (better than hoochie), BLK/Silver 06 Tiger, Red 04 R1, Yellow 99 Daytona 955i	I wont rail a plugged tire but damn I will run one to get the money out of it. I hit a spate of bad luck about 2 years ago and went through 3 tires in 4 months with flats. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 12:08 AM	#6
RedRevolver Newbie Joined: Sep 2009 From: Bellingham, WA	I suppose I could run it plugged for the winter, though I dunno, I don't really trust plugs for some reason. I mean I guess I have put a little over 1k on the bike since I've gotten it, so it's not brand brand new. Eh maybe I'm just freakin out. It is my first bike and I'm tryin to be careful with her. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 12:26 AM	#7
Mike23 WMRRA Qualifier Joined: Dec 2005 From: Lake City, Seattle I Ride: GSX-R750	plug it, dude. Mushroom plugs are solid, you most likely won't experience any problems under mach .62 __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter

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10-31-2009, 12:37 AM	#8
Gusgus MotoGP Champion Joined: Dec 2008 From: VanHooter, Wa Blog Entries: 2 I Ride: Valkyrie/R1150GS Adventure	That's ok Old Dane, no offense taken. I have run plugged tires for years, living in Alaska and running those sharp shale roads, flats are not only common but normal. The mushroom plugs if installed right are safe. Even at speed. But each to their own. I will tell you what, every tire you remove and replace, I would gladly take them off your hands for future mileage. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 10:41 AM	#9
Jalharad Streetfighter Joined: Jul 2007 From: Bellingham, Washington I Ride: Two-up and slower then a snail	i'd plug it....also i'd think with the group we have here in bham we could get the bike off campus before some dumbass (haloween is here) damages it or something. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 11:43 AM	#10
RedRevolver Newbie Joined: Sep 2009 From: Bellingham, WA	I guess since it is in one of the grooves it wouldn't be too bad to plug it, since its not like there will be pressure directly on the spot with the plug. I think I'm gonna head up to campus today and go put it behind the engineering building with a note saying it's being worked on. That way it's locked up at night and no parking tickets =P __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 01:01 PM	#11
Arnbo Pit Crew Joined: Jul 2008 From: Ferndale washington I Ride: 2000 Zx-9R 47cc pocket bike	Hey If you need a ride i have a trailer and tie-downs don't leave it too long or someone will either trash it or steal it.my number is in my profile arnbo __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 01:28 PM	#12
PencilBlimp Endorsed Joined: May 2008 From: Sedro-Woolley WA I Ride: 07' ZX6R	dude just plug it to get it home and park it for the winter then over the coarse of the winter save up for a new tire in the spring. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 02:22 PM	#13
RedRevolver Newbie Joined: Sep 2009 From: Bellingham, WA	alright guys, I've done some asking around. I'm just gonna keep it at the shop at western for the weekend where its safe, plug it there, and just take it easy till I get a new tire in the spring. Thanks for the offers to help move it, glad to know I've got help if I need it. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


10-31-2009, 09:56 PM	#16
InvisibleMan Pit Crew Joined: Feb 2009 From: Seattle WA I Ride: 2004 ZX10R, 2001 GSXR 1000	Take all this for what it's worth. I've been in the same situation more times than I care to remember. Been taken out by broken glass also, a fucking staple, nails, screws and various other unidentifiable road debris that serves no other purpose on this planet than to ruin a day of your ever shortening lifespan. Every time, it always happens to a tire that has plenty of life left in it and nooooo shop will ever fix it. EVER! I'm like you too, not really feeling like the plug idea is anything but a temporary fix to get ya home. So, here's what I do: Get three tire irons from the bike shop, it'll cost you maybe $15 or $20. Get a big C-clamp from the hardware store for breaking the bead, bout $10. Get some big tire patches from the auto parts store, 30 of em in a pack for $6. Don't worry, you will use them all someday. Get some contact cement. Tire pump (you really should have one already). Schrader valve core remover (optional but, very handy). Fill a spray bottle with dish soap and water. Find a big 3ft x 3ft or bigger piece of cardboard to work on top of. Start by pumping up the tire and, if it holds enough air, use the spray bottle full of soapy water to find the hole that is leaking. Now, you get the wheel off the bike and get that tire off the wheel. Yeah, it's a big ol pain in the ass to break the bead and pry the tire off the rim but, you are a determined bastard, right? Break the bead with your new C-clamp and work it off the rim with the tire irons, little by little. Always try to keep the opposite side of the bead towards the middle of the rim with your knee or foot as you pry the other side with the tire irons. Use the spray bottle with soapy water to ease the bead off the rim and the cardboard will help to keep your rotors from getting messed up on the ground. At this point, your job is a little less than half done. Yay for you! For entertainment, here's a picture of the last thing that took out my 1 month old Dunlop Qualifier. The penny in the pic is for reference. And the tire tread showing the hole. I skipped taking a picture of the look of sheer disgust on my face. So, once you get the tire off the rim, get that piece of shit out of your tire with a needle nose pliers. Add the offending item to your shrine of things that fucked your life up. The next thing you do is rough up the inside of the tire where the hole is with a dremel tool or something mounted on a drill or a piece of sand paper (I prefer the dremel). Then, you put the contact cement on the area that you roughed up and put the patch on after the contact cement has dried. This is what the inside of the tire should look like with the patch glued in place. At this point, the installation of the tire on the rim and the wheel on the bike is simply the reverse of the removal and is indeed, the 2nd half of your work for this day. Yeah, yeah, the whole process is all a real laugh a minute for you but, you will now be able to ride this tire out to the very end of it's useful life without worrying about any plug popping out and leaving you stranded for a 2nd time. I truly can not tell you how many times I have done tire repairs like this myself but, I can tell you that it does get a little bit easier once you figure it out. I even change my worn out tires at regular intervals this same way since I've finally got the process down. Don't ask me why but, the front tire changes always seem to be a little easier than the rear? Some bike shops will even balance your tires for free when you're done (thanks RMC!) but, it's not really necessary when fixing a flat, as long as you re-mount the tire the same way it was when you took it off. There's usually a mark on the tire where the valve stem is. Just use that as your point of reference. Pay attention to the direction of rotation also because mounting your tire backwards will make you very, very angry with yourself... Don't ask. Have fun! Consider it a learning experience. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter Last edited by InvisibleMan; 10-31-2009 at 10:01 PM..


10-31-2009, 10:07 PM	#17
UhOh Superbiker Joined: Apr 2006 From: Tri-Cities, WA I Ride: Hither, Thither and Yon ... mostly day rides	^^^ good post, InvisibleMan __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter


11-04-2009, 08:11 PM	#19
RC51 Streetfighter Joined: Mar 2008 From: TX I Ride: RC51	The mushroom plugs work great, I've got about 3k miles on one right now, hasn't leaked a bit. I actually forgot that it was in there until I got another nail, that plug has about 1k miles on it now. __________________ Follow PNW Riders on Facebook and Twitter

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